With superfights now scrapped, UFC boss insists Weidman vs. Silva II up next

LAS VEGAS – Chris Weidman (10-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) promised to ruin the UFC’s plans for an interdivisional superfight, and he made good on his end of the bargain by downing MMA legend Anderson Silva (33-5 MMA, 16-1 UFC). And while “The Spider” doesn’t seem interested in a rematch right now, UFC President Dana White believes Weidman and Silva will meet again in their next appearance.

“Anderson Silva needs to go home, hang out with his family, take a week or two to shake this thing off,” White said following Saturday’s post-UFC 162 press conference. “There are times when guys will win a fight, and they don’t want to talk for three weeks. It’s really part of the process, it really is, and especially a big night like tonight. And when you lose the way that he lost, there’s a process for this.”

Weidman and Silva headlined Saturday’s UFC 162 event at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. The undefeated Weidman was supremely confident throughout the buildup to the fight, and he shocked the world with a crushing second-round knockout of the former champ, whose showboating antics did little to get inside his opponent’s head. In what turned out to be more foreshadowing that pre-fight braggadocio, Weidman had promised to grant Silva an immediate rematch after his loss, and he stuck to his guns after picking up the victory.

White had also guaranteed a rematch would take place in such an instance, but Silva seemed to suggest he wasn’t interested in such a plan in the moments after suffering his first loss sine 2006. The UFC boss said it was unfair to gauge the Brazilian’s true intentions just moments after such a heartbreaking moment.

“Nobody wants to lose, and he doesn’t know how to lose,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “He doesn’t remember how to lose. It’s been too long since he lost. This one’s going to sink in a few days after.”

Waiting in the wings, of course, is current top contender Vitor Belfort, who had openly campaigned for the winner of the UFC 162 headliner. With the potential of Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre and Silva vs. Jon Jones scrapped with Saturday’s result, Belfort hoped he could find himself the beneficiary.

White said that would not be the case.

“Anderson Silva has gone undefeated since 2006 and has beat everybody and held the title,” White said. “He deserves the rematch. I mean, Chris Weidman said that before he even fought him. Vitor is just going to have to wait.

“He’s not getting the rematch. He can text. He can tweet. He can write f—ing letters. He can call his congressman. He can do whatever he wants to do. He’s going to have to wait. Anderson Silva is getting the rematch.”

The only person preventing Weidman vs. Silva II, at least for now, is the former champ. “The Spider” was reserved during the evening’s post-event press conference and refused to make excuses while applauding Weidman for his impressive performance. But White believes things will quickly change, and he’s looking forward to booking the rematch as soon as possible, insisting he’d love to do it as soon as next week but brainstorming that a Super Bowl weekend card in New Jersey in 2014 might make sense, too.

“Anderson plays a lot of things off publicly,” White said. “The guy went on this win streak because he’s an amazing competitor and is an amazing talent. He’s going to want to redeem himself.”

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